Stock feeding mechanism



E L A D N E X A B S STOCK FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 15, 1957 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The invention relates to stock advancing mechanisms used in connection with machine tools and of the type in which a reciprocating member is positively actuated through a predetermined amplitude of movement by mechanism timed with the operation of the machine. With such feeding mechanism the length of advancement must be very accurately adjusted to correspond to the requirements of the work and this necessitates a readjustment for each change in the work. However, a simpler method of adjustment is to feed the stock bar against an adjustable limiting stop, but where this is used a positive feeding means would be disastrous. It is the object of the present invention to obtain a construction where the actuating means for advancing the stock is positively reciprocated by the machine through a definite amplitude of. movement, but which, nevertheless, permits of varying the length of feed by an adjustable stop. To this end the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a central longitudinal section through my improved feeder;

Figure 2 is a cross section thereof on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

, Figure 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevation.

As my improvement is applicable to various constructions of machine tools forming no part of my invention I shall illustrate only the feeding mechanism. As shown in Figure l, A is a tubular member which at its rear end is provided with a threaded nipple B for engagement with a correspondingly threaded tubular feeding member C. This member is periodically actuated by mechanism not shown, and in timed relation to the machine tool and is reciprocated through a predetermined amplitude of movement. D is a tubular member telescopically engaging the member A and having a limited freedom of movement relative thereto. Preferably, the bore of the member A is enlarged in diameter in a portion E to form a shoulder F. The member D is also provided at its rear end with an enlargement forming a shoulder G for engaging the shoulder F, and a portion H tapering from said shoulder to a diameter less than the internal diameter of the member A. The member D is also longitudinally slotted at I to form a bifurcation which is sufiiciently resilient to permit of a slight contraction in diameter of the rear end. Thus, by introducing the tapered end H into the outer end of. the member A and then forcing the member D inward, the shoulders G may be sprung into engagement with the shoulders F. At the outer end of the member D is an enlargement J which forms a shoulder K, and a spring L sleeved on the member D extends between this shoulder and the forward end of the member A, thereby yieldably holding the shoulders F and G in engagement.

At the forward end of the member D is a oneway clutch. This is preferably formed by a plurality of bores M through the enlarged portion J, entering through the outer end thereof and inclining toward the axis, so that their inner ends intersect with the bore of the member D. In these bores M are placed balls N, and springs 0 bearing against these balls, urge the same toward the rear end of the bores J. However, the apertures formed by the intersection of. the bores J with the main bore of the member D are not sufiiciently large to permit the balls to drop therethrough. An abutment for the springs O is formed by a disk P which is placed in a recess in the forward end of the enlargement J and is secured by peening over the margin of this recess as indicated at Q, or fastening in any other way.

With the construction as described, the balls N normally project into the bore of the member D so as to engage a stock bar passed therethrough. Whenever the member A is actuated in a forward direction through the medium of the tubular feeder C, the balls N will frictionally engage the stock bar. This will clutch the bar so that it will move forward with the members A and D, the latter being actuated by the spring L. An adjustable stop R extending into the path of the stock bar will arrest movement thereof, whereupon the spring L will yield to permit the continued forward movement of the member A under the actuation of the member C. Upon the return movement of the members A and D the balls N will release the stock bar, but will reengage the same on the next succeeding forward movement.

The construction as above described is formed of a relatively small number of elements all of which are easily manufactured and easily assembled. It forms a very effective and positive feeder for the stock bar, while the resilient element L permits of arresting movement of the stock without any injury to the positively actuated mechanism.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A feeder comprising a pair of axially reciprocatory telescopically engaged tubular me bers through which a stock bar is passed, a stop on one of said members and cooperating spaced stops on the other of said members permitting a relatively axial movement of one in relation to the other resilient means for radially projecting said first stop permitting of retraction of the same when said telescopic members are assembled, resilient means for yieldably holding said members in extended position, and a one-way clutch carried by the forward member adapted to engage the stock and to non-positively advance the same during the forward movement of said member and to release the stock during the return movement.

2. A feeder comprising a pair of axially reciprocatory telescopically engaged tubular members through which a stock bar is passed, the outer member having portions of difierent internal diameters with a shoulder therebetween, and the inner member having a bifurcated portion for fitting the small diameter portion of said outer member and a hook or shoulder at its inner end for engaging said shoulder of the outer member, said bifurcated portion being sufilciently resilient to permit of passing said hook or shoulder through the small diameter portion of the outer memher into engagement with the shoulder between said portion and the large diameter portion, an enlargement at the forward end of said inner member, a helical spring interposed between said enlargement and the forward end of the outer member to resiliently hold said hook and shoulder in engagement, and a one-way clutch in said enlarged forward end for engaging the stock to advance the same during the forward movement of said feeder and adapted to release it on the rearward movement thereof.

SAMUEL BAXENDALE. 

